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Spain : Madrid - June 2009

Country Code: Dial for Spain

With its outdoor restaurants, shady plazas and oh-so-chic rooftop terraces, Madrid comes into its own in June. This month, art lovers shouldn’t miss the opportunity to view the massive exhibition by Spanish artist Joaquín Sorolla at Museo del Prado. June also sees PhotoEspaña take over the capital, with more than 30 exhibitions throughout the city. Scott Adams gets an eyeful

Getting around

Barajas Airport

Bus: There are regular buses from the airport to Avenida de America (which connects with Metro lines 4, 6, 7 and 9) until 11pm. The journey takes between 30 minutes and an hour (emtmadrid.es).
Train: Terminal 4 is covered by line 8 of the metro system. The journey to the city centre takes about 45 minutes and a single ticket costs €2.
Taxi: The journey to the centre takes around 20 minutes and costs around €28 (which includes the taxis’ airport charge of €5,25).
Tourist information: The main office is at 27 Plaza Mayor (tel. , www.turismomadrid.es) but there’s also an information stand at Terminal 1.

PASEO DEL PRADO

Take time to wander along this treelined boulevard, which is flanked by many historic buildings, including Museo del Prado and the impressive central post office.

Sleep soundly – Discover an important part of Madrid’s social and artistic history at The Westin Palace (7 Plaza de las Cortes, tel. , westin palacemadrid.com, rooms from €245). View the photographic exhibition currently hanging in the bar, or visit the hotel’s intriguing small museum.

Culture vultures – See Joaquín Sorolla’s impressionist paintings at Museo Nacional del Prado (Paseo del Prado) until 6 September. The huge canvases, depicting Spanish life in the late 19th/early 20th century, are on loan from New York.

Must eat – Eat under the towering trees on the terrace at the elegant Hotel Ritz Madrid (5 Plaza de la Lealtad, tel. ), Madrid’s only centrally located garden restaurant. The menu offers delectable food and wines. Try the oven-roasted lamb or the paella.

Dance the night away – Spread over seven floors, Kapital (125 Calle Atocha) stages live performances at the weekends. Take your drink out on to the terrace and make the most of the warm evenings.

PLAZA SANTA ANA

Madrid’s most popular rendezvous is constantly buzzing with activity.

Culture vultures – Sit in the square from 10pm onwards to enjoy displays for PhotoEspaña (phe.es/festival), projected on to a giant screen.

Must eat – Grab an outdoor table at Cervecería la Alemana (6 Plaza Santa Ana, tel. ) and enjoy a light meal of calamari, Spanish omelette or a crispy salad with anchovies.

Must drink – The coolest nightspot in the city, The Penthouse (14 Plaza Santa Ana), has spectacular views from its rooftop location. Dress to impress.

Shop til you drop – Like a glittering Aladdin’s cave, Piedra de Luna (14 Calle Príncipe) has gifts and objet d’art from India, South America and Asia.

PLAZA SAN ANDRÉS

This pretty square is surrounded by some of Madrid’s oldest streets. Sundays see huge crowds gathering here to enjoy a couple of pre-lunch drinks.

Sleep soundly – The perfect option for budget travellers, Hotel Ganivet (111-113 Calle Toledo, tel. , hotelesporcel.com, rooms from €80) has bright modern rooms and a good restaurant serving light meals.

Must drink – With the towering baroque church as a backdrop, the outdoor tables at Cervecería San Andrés (4 Plaza San Andrés) are always full and attract a colourful crowd. Snack on fried calamari or sizzling chorizo tapas.

Shop til you drop – De Piedra (12 Calle Almendra) stocks unique handcrafted jewellery. Pick up pieces using semi-precious stones and silver.

PLAZA DE LA LUNA AND AROUND

This district is packed with cool boutiques. Come here to shop before hitting the town later on.

Culture vultures – Dance and sing your way through the Spanish production of 1970s musical Saturday Night Fever at Teatro Coliseo (78 Gran Vía). For the best experience, book a table in the disco area next to the stage (topticketline.es).

Must eat – If you’re looking for some authentic Spanish flavours and an ambience to match, Casa Perico (18 Calle Ballesto, tel. ) offers local favourites such as roast lamb, tripe omelette and whole roasted potatoes.

Dance the night away – Ohm (4 Plaza Callao) is the best place in Madrid to hear electronic music. See DJs such as Chus and Paul Ross spin deep house and electro.

Shop til you drop – Deffort (10 Calle Loreto y Chicote) stocks lines such as Ben Sherman, Everlast, FDNY and Fred Perry.

Compiled by Scott Adams